Hope, March 9

Hope, March 9

... Beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:9-12, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You expect more from those that love You because You empower them. You remind us that You will not forget our work of love that we have advanced in Your name.

Father, You have also taught us that the works that we do in Your name must spring from our faith, not our sense of duty. Thank You for teaching us that our works are in response to Your love. O' God, is there any option for Your children but to respond to Your love?

We do pray for the strength and the endurance to persist in faithful endeavor even when we are tired and frustrated. Father, when we hang our head, we are looking the wrong way. Help us look up, seeking Your guidance in all things. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, February 10

Hope, February 10

My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us...

Psalms 62:5-8, www.solascriptura.com

Father, as we look about and decide who it is we can depend upon and who it is we can trust, our hearts and mind turn to You. You are the unchanging, ever-present force in our lives. Our expectations and hopes are centered upon You, not upon transitional persons or images made by man.

You alone are our rock and our salvation. We look to You in times of trouble and we love it when You make our heart joyful with incomparable blessings; eternal blessings!

We pour our heart out to You in hope and in praise. Help us today not to become depressed by the sin and pain all around us but to instead seek You and Your will for the lives of all the persons in the world. We love You in good times and in difficult times and we know Your eyes are constantly upon us. We pray in the Holy name of Jesus. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, August 18

Hope, August 18

O God, do not be far from me
... I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come.
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed.
My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long...

Psalms 71:12, 14-18, 23-24

O' Father, is it ever true that You would be far from us? Is it not we who would have moved? Sometimes, Father, we are under such pressure, regarding the issues that are upon us, that we act as though we need to plea for Your attention to our needs.
You have told us that your thoughts toward us exceed number, that not a hair falls from our head that You do not know it. It is so hard for us to realize those facts. We carry the burden when You have told us to shift it to You.

Father, we know that it is only possible to go forward, as Your disciples, with Your hand upon us, Your strength within us and Your righteousness filling us. Whether we are gray-headed, bald, old, young or ill, we are beautiful in Your sight, You have promised to not forsake us. We will declare Your marvelous works and we will rejoice in Your divine presence. Our hope is in You. In Jesus Holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, August 11

Hope, August 11

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever.

Hebrews 6:19-20, www.solascriptura.com

Father, first You have called us saints and now You invite us to enter into Your Holy Presence, a place where only the High Priest could enter once a year, behind the veil.

We know than when Jesus was crucified, the veil was torn from the top to the bottom, making access available, by the shed blood of our Savior, to each of us. Jesus, it was Your sacrifice that made it possible for these things to be so. Father it was You who ripped the veil open, from the top, inviting us into You Holy presence.

These thoughts are too much to comprehend and Your perfect plan too great to be fully understood or to have been conceived by man. We humbly beg for wisdom and discernment. We beg You to be patient with us as we seek to become mature in our faith. In Jesus' holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, June 27

Hope, June 27

... you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven...
the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Colossians 1:21-23, 26-29, www.solascriptura.com

Father, we do not feel blameless or beyond deserving a scolding, or worse, for our sins. We have never felt "perfect"; but you have taught us that we have a wrong perspective. We are not perfect except as the cloak of Jesus, His cloak of righteousness, completely covers us. It is His perfection in our lives that we seek. It is Jesus who brings us into Your presence.

Help us, this day, to grasp the fact that we cannot enter into Your presence as sinners and that our only hope for salvation is in Christ Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, who stands before You proclaiming our worthiness, in Him. What a perfect advocate You have sent Father. Our sins are as separate from us as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against us, ever again.

That is the good news. Help us, today, to share it with someone. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, June 12

Hope, June 12

In You, O LORD, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me.
Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; you have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; you are my trust from my youth.
By You I have been upheld from birth; you are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You.

Psalms 71:1-6, www.solascriptura.com

Father, as we place our hope in You, we pray that we are never ashamed for having done so. We know that we are courageous when we are in Your presence. We know that Your hand is not shortened that it can not reach out, protect and heal.

What a wonder, Father that our faith in Jesus, delivers us. You incline Your ear to us. When we move toward You and seek You, we do so knowing that You are our refuge, our rock and our fortress. Our initiative to look to You, to lean upon You is always responded to positively. You never reject our love.

When we feel beat upon by the forces of evil, and what is evil but a soul that does not love You, we have a tendency to despair. Help us today, to know that You uphold us and have done so since birth. Our hope was always in You even before we could declare it. Our praise shall be of You, our hope shall be in You, forever. Bless us in the Holy name of Jesus, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, May 19

Hope, May 19

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14, www.solascriptura.com

Father, sometimes we wonder what happens to those who have never heard the Gospel. You provide the answer in the first verse, above. The Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. You have taught us that our intuitive knowledge of right and wrong is a gift from You.

We thank You Father for sending the Holy Spirit to encourage us and strengthen our resolve to do the right thing. That fact, along with the forgiveness of all confessed sin, due to the redemptive power of Jesus, means we will be without excuse if we say "but I did not know".

Help us, today, to pursue a continual and personal relationship with You, in every circumstance. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, April 27

Hope, April 27

... we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3-7, www.solascriptura.com

We thank you Father for sending the Holy Spirit, a constant source of Your Holy presence in us. O'God, Your thoughts toward us exceed number. That is a reality we have a hard time grasping. Can we do any less but to look to You, all day, in every circumstance. We truly never need to walk alone.

You came that we might have abundant life. Thank You Father for helping us understand that it is Your desire that we experience goodness and mercy, at Your hand, even if others try to discourage us. Help us to be an encourager to such people, we pray.

May we draw near to you, constantly, even in the midst of earthly disappointments? We know that we can if we but shift our focus from that which is transitory to that which is eternal! Help us today to notice the flowers, the clouds, the animals and all of your wonderful creation, provided for our pleasure and use. May we dwell "in Your presence", even today. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, April 4

Hope, April 4

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3:12-15, www.solascriptura.com

Father, at times we have the heart of an unbeliever because we doubt You or because we can't understand how You could allow the lives of so many people to be in such distress. Father, help us to deal with uncertainty where we wish we could be more certain.

Help us, today, not to blame You for the sins of mankind and for our personal failures. Give us hope when there appears to be none and courage where we feel weak and impotent. Our hope and our strength to endure lies in You. To whom else can we turn?

Give us the steadfast faith that comes from a closer walk with You. Help us to hear Your voice. How Father, can we improve our hearing? We know the answer. How can we learn but to turn to Your Holy word? This day, teach us Your ways, we pray. In Jesus' Holy name, Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, March 9

Hope, March 9

... Beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:9-12, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You expect more from those that love You because You empower them. You remind us that You will not forget our work of love that we have advanced in Your name.

Father, You have also taught us that the works that we do in Your name must spring from our faith, not our sense of duty. Thank You for teaching us that our works are in response to Your love. O' God, is there any option for Your children but to respond to Your love?

We do pray for the strength and the endurance to persist in faithful endeavor even when we are tired and frustrated. Father, when we hang our head, we are looking the wrong way. Help us look up, seeking Your guidance in all things. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, February 10

Hope, February 10

My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us...

Psalms 62:5-8, www.solascriptura.com

Father, as we look about and decide who it is we can depend upon and who it is we can trust, our hearts and mind turn to You. You are the unchanging, ever-present force in our lives. Our expectations and hopes are centered upon You, not upon transitional persons or images made by man.

You alone are our rock and our salvation. We look to You in times of trouble and we love it when You make our heart joyful with blessings beyond compare; eternal blessings!

We pour our heart out to You in hope and in praise. Help us today not to become depressed by the sin and pain all around us but to instead seek You and Your will for the lives of all the persons in the world. We love You in good times and in difficult times and we know Your eyes are constantly upon us. We pray in the Holy name of Jesus. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, January 14, 2009

Hope, January 14, 2009

This is terribly important! This is the wisdom given to a fisherman by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was preserved for you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,
because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
Peter 1:3-25, www.solascriptura.com
Amen and amen.
Bruce Caldwell

Hope, August 11, 2008

Hope, August 11, 2008

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever.

Hebrews 6:19-20, www.solascriptura.com

Father, first You have called us saints and now You invite us to enter into Your Holy Presence, a place where only the High Priest could enter once a year, behind the veil.

We know than when Jesus was crucified, the veil was torn from the top to the bottom, making access available, by the shed blood of our Savior, to each of us. Jesus, it was Your sacrifice that made it possible for these things to be so Father it was You who ripped the veil open, from the top, inviting us into You Holy presence.

These thoughts are too much to comprehend and Your perfect plan too great to be fully understood or to have been conceived by man. We humbly beg for wisdom and discernment. We beg You to be patient with us as we seek to become mature in our faith. In Jesus' holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, June 27, 2008

Hope, June 27, 2008

... you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--
if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven...
the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Colossians 1:21-23, 26-29, www.solascriptura.com

Father, we do not feel blameless or beyond deserving a scolding, or worse, for our sins. We have never felt "perfect"; but you have taught us that we have a wrong perspective. We are not perfect except as the cloak of Jesus, His cloak of righteousness, completely covers us. It is His perfection in our lives that we seek. It is Jesus who brings us into Your presence.

Help us, this day, to grasp the fact that we cannot enter into Your presence as sinners and that our only hope for salvation is in Christ Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, who stands before You proclaiming our worthiness, in Him. What a perfect advocate You have sent Father. Our sins are as separate from us as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against us, ever again.

That is the good news. Help us, today, to share it with someone. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, May 19, 2008

Hope, May 19, 2008

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14, www.solascriptura.com

Father, sometimes we wonder what happens to those who have never heard the Gospel. You provide the answer in the first verse, above. The Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. You have taught us that our intuitive knowledge of right and wrong is a gift from You.

We thank You Father for sending the Holy Spirit to encourage us and strengthen our resolve to do the right thing. That fact, along with the forgiveness of all confessed sin, due to the redemptive power of Jesus, means we will be without excuse if we say "but I did not know".

Help us, today, to pursue a continual and personal relationship with You, in every circumstance. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope, April 27, 2008

Hope, April 27, 2008

... we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3-7, www.solascriptura.com

We thank you Father for sending the Holy Spirit, a constant source of Your Holy presence in us. O'God, Your thoughts toward us exceed number. That is a reality we have a hard time grasping. Can we do any less but to look to You, all day, in every circumstance. We truly never need to walk alone.

You came that we might have abundant life. Thank You Father for helping us understand that it is Your desire that we experience goodness and mercy, at Your hand, even if others try to discourage us. Help us to be an encourager to such people, we pray.

May we draw near to you, constantly? We know that we can! In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen

Bruce Caldwell

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http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10466934&l=19402&s=O8UL&m=175430&c=207588

Hope, April 4, 2008

Hope, April 4, 2008

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3:12-15, www.solascriptura.com

Father, at times we have the heart of an unbeliever because we doubt You or because we can't understand how the lives of so many people can be in such distress. Father, help us to deal with uncertainty where we wish we could be more certain.

Help us, today, not to blame You for the sins of mankind and for our personal failures. Give us hope when there appears to be none and courage where we feel weak and impotent.

Give us the steadfast faith that comes from a closer walk with You. Help us to hear Your voice. How Father, can we improve our hearing? We know the answer. How can we learn but to turn to Your Holy word? This day, teach us Your ways, we pray. In Jesus' Holy name, Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

To be removed click here:

http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10466934&l=19402&s=O8UL&m=161920&c=207588

Hope, March 9, 2008

Hope, March 9, 2008

... Beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end,
that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:9-12, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You expect more from we that love You because You empower us. You remind us that You will not forget our work of love that we have advanced in Your name.

Father, You have also taught us that the works that we do in Your name must spring from our faith, not our sense of duty. Thank You for teaching us that our works are in response to Your love. O' God, is there any option for Your children but to respond to Your love?

We do pray for the strength and the endurance to persist in faithful endeavor even when we are tired and frustrated. Father, when we hang our head, we are looking the wrong way. Help us look up, seeking Your guidance in all things. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

To be removed click here:

http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10466934&l=19402&s=O8UL&m=161528&c=207588

Hope #1

My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us...

Psalms 62:5-8, www.solascriptura.com

Father, as we look about and decide who it is we can depend upon and who it is we can trust, our hearts and mind turn to You. You are the unchanging, ever-present force in our lives. Our expectations and hopes are centered upon You, not upon transitional persons or images made by man.

You alone are our rock and our salvation. We look to You in times of trouble and we love it when You make our heart joyful with blessings beyond compare; eternal blessings!

We pour our heart out to You in hope and in praise. Help us today not to become depressed by the sin and pain all around us but to instead seek You and Your will for the lives of all the persons in the world. We love You in good times and in difficult times and we know Your eyes are constantly upon us. We pray in the Holy name of Jesus. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope #2

This is long and terribly important! This is the wisdom given to a fisherman by the power of the Holy Spirit. It was preserved for you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

Peter 1:3-25www.solascriptura.com

Amen and amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope #3

... beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:9-12, www.solascriptura.com

Father, You expect more from we that love You because You empower us. You remind us that You will not forget our work of love that we have advanced in Your name.

Father, You have also taught us that the works that we do in Your name must spring from our faith, not our sense of duty. Thank You for teaching us that our works are in response to Your love. O' God, is there any option for Your children but to respond to Your love?

We do pray for the strength and the endurance to persist in faithful endeavor even when we are tired and frustrated. Father, when we hang our head, we are looking the wrong way. Help us look up, seeking Your guidance in all things. We pray these things in the name of Jesus, amen.

Hope #4

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever.

Hebrews 6:19-20, www.solascriptura.com

Father, first You have called us saints and now You invite us to enter into Your Presence where Jesus made it possible for these things to be so.

These thoughts are too much to comprehend and Your perfect plan too great to be fully understood or to have been conceived by man. We humbly beg for wisdom and discernment. We beg You to be patient with us as we seek to become mature in our faith. In Jesus' holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope #5

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3:12-15, www.solascriptura.com

Father, at times we have the heart of an unbeliever because we doubt You or because we can't understand how the lives of so many people can be in such distress. Father, help us to deal with uncertainty where we wish we could be more certain.

Help us, today, not to blame You for the sins of mankind and for our personal failures. Give us hope when there appears to be none and courage where we feel weak and impotent.

Give us the steadfast faith that comes from a closer walk with You. Help us to hear Your voice. How Father, can we improve our hearing? We know the answer. How can we learn but to turn to Your Holy word? This day, teach us Your ways, we pray. Amen.

Bruce Caldwell

Hope #6

Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land... ... the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their strength in the time of trouble.

Psalms 37:34, 39, www.solascriptura.com

Father may we exhort one another to love and obey your Holy word and to keep Your way. Teach us new truths, afresh every day, so that the life You have given us might bring glory to you.

Help us Father not to be overwhelmed with the cares of this world, so pre-occupied that we leave You out of the issues we face and the decisions we must make.

We pray this day for your Spirit and our spirit to be as one. That is a huge hope, Father, but we know it is Your will for each of us. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell